April 6, 2014 — More than a dozen Gulf of Mexico commercial king mackerel fishermen, from as far away as Louisiana, attended South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s public hearing on management alternatives for king and Spanish mackerel.
The Gulf fishermen voiced their support of the South Atlantic Council’s decision to remove an action to change the fishing year in the Gulf of Mexico western zone for king mackerel.
“The Gulf Council change the openings dates for Gulf king mackerel from July to September,” explained Venice, La fisherman Matt Andrews, who attended the meeting. “Their vote was not based on any biological or sustainability issues.”
King mackerel, Spanish mackerel and cobia stocks are managed jointly by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council through the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fishery Management Plan (FMP), often making joint management challenging.
Read the full story at the Gulf Seafood Institute